“I’m living a life with diabetes, but I’m not letting it stop me.” – Gary Valenciano

One famous Filipino who is inflicted with this is Gary Valenciano. The country’s “Mr. Pure Energy” shares how he almost lost his life due to diabetes on “I Survived” this Thursday (Oct 1) on ABS-CBN.

Gary has been battling Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes since he was 14 years old. His wife, Angeli and kids have been witnesses to many of his attacks, and to almost 90,000 insulin injections in his lifetime. But in 2005, no one was prepared for his worst hypoglycemic attack.

It happened in Pasadeña, California during the “ASAP Kapamilya Caravan Tour,” where Gary lay unconscious and almost went into a comatose.

How did the people around him work together to help revive him? And how is Gary surviving his disease? Here is an inspiring story for millions of diabetic Filipinos as told to Ces Oreña Drilon this Thursday (Oct 1) on “I Survived,” right after “Bandila” on ABS-CBN.

This Sunday (Oct 4), the whole country will be at a standstill for the opening of “Pinoy Big Brother Double UP,” live at 7:30pm on ABS-CBN.

After months of anticipation, “Pinoy Big Brother Double UP” will finally reveal the identities of the newest housemates in a night full of wonder and magic. Also to watch out for is the newest trick up Kuya’s sleeve with the reveal of the meaning of “Double UP,” which will surely surprise and hook viewers from all over the country.

According to PBB business unit head Lauren Dyogi, the twist is a first in the history of the “Big Brother.”

“PBB’s” former housemates will come in full force to welcome the new members of the “PBB” family and so will the program’s trio of hosts Mariel Rodriguez, Bianca Gonzalez, and Toni Gonzaga.

The “PBB” franchise is set to cause a craze again with “Pinoy Big Brother Double UP,” with people across the nation already trading thoughts and opinions on the meaning of “Double UP” in malls, schools, homes, offices and even online, as in http://www.pinoybigbrother.multiply.com.

The wait is surely worth it because this season, “PBB” fans can be with Kuya the whole week! Get double the features on “Pinoy Big Brother Über,” double the fun on “PBB Games Uplate,” and double the excitement on “Pinoy Big Brother Double UP” on primetime, right after follows “Dahil May Isang Ikaw” on ABS-CBN.

Stay tuned to Studio 23 for the weekly highlights inside the “PBB” house on “PBB Weekend Primetime” every Saturday and Sunday on 6pm starting October 10. Also see raw footage from the house on “Pinoy Big Brother Streaming” at 1pm starting October 12.

Students of member schools of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) gathered in a festive inter-university blowout mounted this weekend by leading wireless Internet provider Smart Bro.

Worthy of a Guinness record title, the huge crowd turn-out in “B Free Day” reached peak excitement as 10,000 units of Smart Bro prepaid wireless modems or ‘dongles’ were given away for free to the students, a first in the marketing initiatives by a wireless broadband company in the country.

This is in line with Smart Bro’s partnership with the two premier collegiate sports leagues, which produced limited editions of Smart Bro Plug Its, dongles designed with the sports team monickers of UAAP and NCAA member schools. These are Adamson University, Ateneo, La Salle, FEU, National University, UE, UST and UP for UAAP. The NCAA member schools are College of St. Benilde (CSB), Jose Rizal University, Letran, Mapua, San Beda, San Sebastian, Philippine Christian University (on leave), and University of Perpetual Help.

“Supporting school sports is one of our advocacies as these provide positive entertainment and promote healthy competition among the youth. Giving away the dongles is our reward to them, in line with Smart Bro’s goal of delivering Internet for all,” explained Smart marketing group head Annie P. Naval.

UAAP Season 72 president Anton Montinola said the league was “happy to be associated with Smart, a quality organization with quality products that cater to the youth, just like the UAAP. We are very thankful for this collaboration.”

On the other hand, NCAA 85th Season chair Jose Mari Lacson said, “We only partner with number one, and this should add spice to what the NCAA is all about, which is that of keeping up with the times.”

The NCAA board’s marketing committee head Henry Atayde also said “it’s about time we introduced something new, young and fresh since we’re the oldest league in the country.” Earnings from the partnership will be used for the scholarship program of CSB, the school he represents.

This first-of-its kind event was a fitting get-together for students as the collegiate sports season moved towards heated final playoffs that will decide the fate of their school teams.

Held at the Megatent in Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City, “B Free Day” thrilled the student crowd with back-to-back performances by popular rock bands Sandwich, Hale and Spongecola; raffle draws; and games and treats reminiscent of school fairs such as bail out jail booth, balloon darts, ball toss, back massages, burgers, beverages and other sponsors’ freebies—all beginning with the letter ‘b’.

Another popular section of “B Free” featured a remount of the successful Smart Bro Broadbandemonium – The Great SMART Bro Sale. The sale brought together major PC brands Acer, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Neo and Toshiba, which have bundled Smart Bro in some of their latest models, to give buyers the right equipment to enjoy the Internet with Smart Bro’s fast connectivity.Smart Communications, Inc. recently launched its expanded HSPA network nationwide, from Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte to Digos, Davao del Sur—with many more cellsites expected to go live before 2009 ends. Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, and other key cities are already covered with seamless, high-speed mobile broadband which provides a subscriber high speeds of up to 5.8Mbps, enabling Smart Bro subscribers to enjoy the fastest wireless broadband service when surfing the internet.

It’s now or never -- at least when it comes to teaching children the value of time and the discipline of time management.

“Parenting experts have said it time and again—childhood is the best time to ingrain the skill of time management,” points out Kelvin Ngo, Operations Manager of Kids Watch Central. “Studies tell us that 80% of a typical workday is wasted on unimportant tasks and wasted time – a statistic that could have been prevented if only these adults had been disciplined early on.”

To help raise awareness on the importance of time management among children, Kids Watch Central will be holding Kids Watch Central Family Fun Summit 2009 a parenting seminar on time management that takes this issue head-on. “It may sound like a cliché, but now’s the right time to do something about it;

Real Mothers, Real Lessons

“What makes Kids Watch Central Family Fun Summit 2009 different is that the lessons from it are not textbook-based. The insights that will be shared are from real-life mothers who actually had to experience teaching their kids first-hand,” notes Ngo.

Kids Watch Central Family Fun Summit 2009 will be headlined by Mocs Lopez and Jennifer Tan. The former is a teacher from Explorations Pre-School and a mother to three kids. Lopez is a firm believer on setting clear priorities and delineating tasks. “One important insight is that the prioritizing should come from the children themselves. If they’re the ones who classify homework for tomorrow as ‘urgent’ or attending soccer practice as ‘important;’ then they can delegate their time and optimize their efforts willingly.”

Meanwhile, Jennifer Tan, who’s likewise a teacher from Explorations Pre-School and a single mother to two boys aged 6 and 8, opines that children themselves should realize the consequences of not having their time managed well.

”Parents should talk to their kids about the consequences whenever they don’t manage their time,” says the progressive parenting advocate and hands-on mom. “It isn’t enough that parents discipline them whenever they refuse to follow. Parents should communicate how time management affects their kid’s daily activities. For example, parents can tell children that if they prioritize studying now, that means they have more time to play later on.”

Concretizing Time

However, both Mocs Lopez and Jennifer Tan admit that teaching time management is not an easy task – especially since time itself is an abstract concept. “It’s not unusual for children to ask: ‘mom, what does a minute look like?’ or ‘how do I know if my time is already up,’ and this is where tools such as children’s watches come in.”

They also believe that it would help if these timepieces are visually appealing or interesting to the kids themselves. “If their favorite character is Spiderman or Barbie of course, they’re likely to be more interested in looking at watches that feature these characters as opposed to a plain-faced one. It’s about adding an element of ‘fun’ to a visual representation of time.”

Kids Watch Central --a retail outlet that specializes in kids watches—for instance, is one place where parents can source trendy and colorful character watches. Here characters such as Transformers, Hello Kitty, Barbie and Ben10 come alive to teach children the value of time and the discipline of time management. Kids Watch Central stores can be found in the children's accessories area of leading department stores.

Without doubt, parents should give their children an early head start on the lesson of time management. And with proper guidance and the right tools such as Kid’s Watch Central’s character timepieces, ‘now or never’ is not so daunting after all.

Kids Watch Central, is located inside the Children’s Accessories area in leading department stores such as SM, The Landmark, and Rustan’s.

In 2004, director Yam Laranas released the horror movie Sigaw, which went on to become a huge hit both here and abroad. A year later, Yam received a call from a Daily Variety reporter who told him that a producer named Roy Lee wanted to watch it, so he sent a copy to the States.

When producer Roy Lee watched Sigaw, he loved it. “Certain scenes made me jump and I have seen so many other horror movies where that never happens,” Roy said. It just so happened that he served as a mediator between Hollywood and Asia—he is the man behind the Hollywood remakes of so many Asian horror films which include The Ring I, II & III (Ringu, 1998, Japan), The Grudge I, II & II (Ju-on, 2000, Japan), The Departed (Mou gaan dou [Infernal Affairs], 2002, Hong Kong), The Lake House (Siworae, 2002, Korea ) and Dark Water (Honogurai mizu no soko kara, 2002, Japan).

“Sigaw stood out as a really well-crafted movie and when I found out Yam had made the film for well under a million dollars and had done such a great job, I wondered about what kind of picture he might make if he was given the resources to do a full Hollywood production,” recalled Lee.

So it was that Yam’s masterpiece started its journey from Manila to Manhattan and from Sigaw to The Echo. Some changes were made to Sigaw to make it more suited for American audiences. In the original, the main character just moved into a new apartment. When he questioned the screams he heard coming from it, his girlfriend tried to get him to move out, but he refused out of pride.

For North American audiences, pride alone isn’t a reason to keep an apartment. “We solved that problem by giving Bobby, the main character, a criminal record and because of the terms of his parole, Bobby has to stay in the apartment where his late mom used to live,” explained Tyler Mitchell, one of The Echo’s producers. The Echo’s setting was also changed from Manila to Manhattan.

American actor Jesse Bradford takes over the role that Richard Gutierrez brought to life. When approached to play Bobby Reynolds, he was given Sigaw to watch and that sealed the deal. “I thought Yam had a terrific visual sense and I had never taken on a role like this.”

Meanwhile, Iza Calzado reprises her role as the victimized wife. “It’s hard to find someone who can be both sympathetic and horrific in the same film. Iza lends herself well to both,” says Mitchell.

For Director Laranas, the experience of remaking Sigaw was an epiphany. “I got to relive the days when I made the original, but correcting my mistakes and making it better this time, working with people who were there to help me tell the story better and on a bigger scale, and that was gratifying.”

To be released by Viva International Pictures locally, The Echo will hit theaters on September 30.

The long wait is finally over, as Skechers brings back the biggest streetdance event in the Philippines, the Skechers Streetdance Battle Year 5. Expect intense back-and-forth action as close to 100 dance crews from top high schools and colleges battle each other for streetdance glory.

The most-anticipated streetdance event in the country opens with a kickoff party at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall on September 19, Saturday, at 4 pm with special dance numbers, surprise musical performances, a dance fashion show featuring Skechers’ hottest new products, and fun games. You’ll also get to know more about the competing dance crews who will battle it out in six elimination legs for coveted slots in the Final Battle.

With even more teams joining this year’s line-up of competing schools, will we see a new set of faces dancing to the tune of the P100,000 grand prize? And who will have the bragging rights as the country’s best streetdance crew for 2009?

Defending champs Miriam Sayawatha (high school category) and DLSU’s La Salle Dance Company–Street (college category) will surely have their hands full in their quest to repeat their wins.

Witness intense showdowns from the country’s baddest dance crews as they battle for ultimate streetdance supremacy. With an intense and grueling elimination period from September to October, only the most creative, skilled, and technically talented dancers will emerge to perform in the grandest stage in Philippine streetdance history, the Skechers Streetdance Battle 5 Final Battle on November 21 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Filipino dancers are fast gaining recognition as among the best in the world in streetdancing. The immensely popular Jabbawockeez of America’s Best Dance Crew fame is composed mostly of Filipinos, and the world renowned Philippine All Stars are a perennial powerhouse in the annual World Hiphop Championships.

In fact, in this year’s World Hiphop Championships, another Filipino crew—Legit Status, who is composed mostly of participants from the Skechers Streetdance Battle— placed 7th in the varsity division of the event, from a field of 30 competing crews from all over the world.

This year’s Skechers Streetdance Battle is your chance to see just how much the country’s streetdancing scene has evolved. Without a doubt, this is one competition you wouldn’t want to miss.

For more details on the Skechers Streetdance Battle Year 5, visit www.skechers.com.ph.

The Skechers Streetdance Battle Year 5 is brought to you by Skechers, in cooperation with ETC, Skechers Time, PunkRose by Skechers, and Shape-Ups from the Skechers Fitness Group. Its media partners are Fudge, Stella, Chalk, Clavel, Manila Bulletin, Magic 89.9, Wave 89.1, and Jam 88.3. The event is conceptualized and organized by Brainbox.

Canon Marketing Philippines shook up the imaging industry with the launch of seven new cutting-edge cameras in an ambitious staging of the event dubbed “Canon Future Nation.” Held in the dramatic 600-square-meter hall of Whitespace Makati, Canon Future Nation treated key press and business partners to an exciting showcase of innovation and passion for customer delight as embodied by its latest gadget offerings: the prosumer PowerShot G11 and S90, the telephoto PowerShot SX20 IS and SX120 IS, the slim and stylish Digital IXUS 120 IS and 200 IS, and the much-anticipated EOS 7D DSLR.

All of Canon’s new digital compact cameras incorporate the improved Smart AUTO Mode with Scene Detection Technology. This handy feature enables Canon cameras to analyze shooting situations—type of subject, color information, movement and focusing distance—and to automatically select the optimal settings to give users the best shots every time. With Smart AUTO, users are freed from the effort of switching from Macro to Portrait, Night Snapshot to Slow Shutter, and 18 other specially defined settings that are designed to give users the confidence to shoot creatively, knowing that the camera has all the technical details covered.

Moreover, Canon is to date the only manufacturer to feature Servo AF/AE, which enables the camera to continuously adjust focus and exposure even after the shutter button has been pressed halfway.

From the PowerShot range, the RAW-capable G11 and S90 take the prosumer spotlight with two key innovations: the Dual Anti-Noise System, which builds on the power of DIGIC 4 to significantly improve low-light performance, and a 10-Megapixel High-Sensitivity CCD sensor that features bigger photodiodes, effectively optimizing per-pixel sensitivity. The result? Images that are “cleaner” and more brilliant than ever. The G11 stands out with an all-new Vari-angle LCD screen and a classic DSLR-like body, while the S90 impresses with its bright, F/2.0 lens packed in a slim and solid form.

Great bets for compacts to capture the fancy of travelers and sports photographers are the PowerShot SX20 IS and SX120 IS, versatile models that can capture macro shots at 0cm to super zoom shots at 20x and 10x Optical Zoom, respectively. Both models are also armed with DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor and 720p HD Movie Recording.

Strengthening the smart and sophisticated Digital IXUS line are two groundbreaking slim cameras: the IXUS 120 IS, Canon’s slimmest 28mm camera to date, and the IXUS 200 IS, the brand’s first-ever touch panel model. Equipped with 12.1-Megapixel sensors, both these cameras can take 720p HD stills and movies and come in a wide range of classic colors.

Last but certainly not the least, the most awaited addition to the EOS Digital family, EOS 7D, saw the dawn of Philippine market. EOS 7D is built for the demanding advanced amateur photographer who would invest in the right equipment to achieve the desired results. Powered by two DIGIC 4 processors, the EOS 7D offers the highest quality images in its class with an 18-megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-C size) and user-selectable sensitivity range from ISO 100-6400 (expandable to ISO 12,800). It also features a high continuous shooting rate of 8fps to capture fast-moving action sequences at a maximum burst of approximately 94 shots for large/fine jpeg images, and 15 shots in RAW.

Children the world-over enjoy being doted upon by their grandparents. Maybe because they are less concerned with disciplining their beloved apos and have loads of time on their hands, lolos and lolas more responsive, less critical, and seem to always be there, showering attention on their grandchildren.

And it seems that grandchildren, even those who are already grown up, have careers and families, continue to treasure moments spent with their lolos and lolas.

An informal poll, conducted by Bayan Communications with grandchildren via Plurk and Facebook social networking sites, revealed that given the chance, 87 percent would want to continue communicating with their grandparents.

The same informal poll revealed that 81 percent of Filipinos are close to their grandparents, and that 57 percent still visit from time to time.

However, in this fast-paced world where everything happens so fast and tasks have to be juggled simultaneously, the weekend lunches with lolos and lolas seem to be happening fewer and far-between, and even the occasional phone call gets buried under a barrage of to-dos.

But all is not lost since a new communications tool, which ironically contributed to the fast-pace of this new age, is also offering a means through which grandchildren and their grandparents can constantly keep in touch. This is of course the internet.

According to Nielsen’s Net Index Topline Report (2008), the Philippine media landscape has changed so much that internet has slowly encroached upon, and in some cases even overtaken, the popularity of traditional media such as television, radio and newspapers.

More people, usually of the younger set, educated, single, either studying or at the prime of their careers, are using the internet – specifically its more cutting edge applications like instant messaging, social networking, and blogging.

The Nielsen study also predicts that the Philippines will have over 35 million internet users in 2012, from a little over 20 million this year.

“This development bodes well for helping relatives stay in constant touch, and is the reason why Bayan Communications is embarking on an internet skills training program for the elderly, through Project Lola” says Tunde Fafunwa, Chief Executive Officer of Bayan Telecommunications.

The giant communications firm, a member of the Lopez Group, sees the potential of the internet to bridge the communications divide between grandparents and grandchildren, between the old and the young.

However, while the younger set is fully equipped to deal with the internet’s varied tools (given that computer courses are virtually de rigeur in schools, even at the primary levels), the more mature members of society are only now being schooled in this technological marvel.

Learning to work the computer, not to mention navigating the internet, might as well be Greek to them.

“Project Lola endeavors to teach the older set about the computer and the internet. It offers training on such diverse topics as how to operate a computer, where to find the appropriate icons to click, how to write and manage e-mail, how to go about instant messaging, and how to navigate the intricate world of social networking sites,” Fafunwa shares.

It may never truly replicate the thrill of an actual visit, but virtually communicating with lolo and lola lets them know that their apos still care. And what’s great, this caring can even be done anytime and from anywhere in the world.

Reebok has unveiled its latest state-of-the-art innovation in performance shoes for 2009. HexRide, with an advanced cushioning system technology that provides vital support for athletes, is featured in a range of Reebok running, women’s training, sports conditioning, and basketball performance shoes. The midsole of a HexRide shoe is cored out into a pattern of hexagonal recesses. The air inside the hexagonal shapes is sealed in with an impact-resistant polymer film to create a lightweight yet very cushioned ride.

Thierry Henry, French international football player who fronts the Reebok ‘Your Move’ campaign, explains, “It’s vital to wear trainers that give you both comfort and support. This is exactly what you get with the Reebok HexRide trainer. The better the technology, the better the boot or trainer can help athletes do their jobs well.” More simply, he says: “The better the trainer, the better you feel!”

Reebok’s classic cushioning technology is Hexalite, developed in 1989. Its lightweight, honey-combed shape cushioning material is derived from aerospace, which enhances shock absorption in areas of peak pressure, previously featured at the tip of Reebok performance shoes. HexRide, first introduced in Spring Summer 2008, covers the entire sole of the shoe to create substantially more cushioning and support.

Reebok’s technological advances in the past have featured breakthrough departures from the norm, such as The Pump, SmoothFit and ERS cushioning systems, plus Kinetic Fit, culminating with HexRide technology.

“The ‘Your Move’ campaign focuses on celebrating the journey, experience and joy of sport. It is about being exactly who you are and being comfortable with it,” says Celine del Genes, head of marketing for Reebok Asia Pacific. Reebok is locally distributed by R.S.H Marketing (Philippines) Inc. “It’s all about staying fit, participating on your own terms, and having fun with it the whole way through.”

HP SPACE, the most anticipated pan-Asian reality television series set to debut on Star World and Channel [V] in November, opens its digital audition doors on September 1 at www.hpspace.com to begin its hunt for Asia’s most exciting up-and-coming creative talent.

The new reality television series offers Asians, including Filipinos, a shot at fame and fortune with a US$50,000 grand prize as well as a fully paid job on the production team of Bubblegum Crisis, a blockbuster remake of the cult anime classic. The chosen candidates must use the latest, cutting-edge product innovations from HP to battle it out over eight episodes.

HP SPACE is the latest platform for Asia’s aspiring talents to cultivate, nurture, and showcase their passion for creativity and the arts. Through a series of weekly creative challenges, contestants will be tasked with sharing, learning, working, and competing together, supported by a platform that offers an avenue for individuals to express themselves.

To be on the show, applicants must submit a one-minute long video pitch at www.hpspace.com and showcase their creative flair, articulate their passions and achievements, and demonstrate their area of expertise. Leading industry authorities will then shortlist 36 contestants, who will be asked to attend live auditions in China, India, and Singapore, from which 12 lucky candidates will make it to the finals.

The final 12 contestants will be flown to Singapore for the filming of HP SPACE, where they will work with well-known creative gurus from the world of design, film, advertising, music, and art to bring their creative expressions to life.

David Searl, STAR’s senior vice president of Content Partnerships and the executive producer of HP SPACE said: “The auditions for HP SPACE offer a truly inimitable chance for creative talents across Asia to step up and shine on a regional stage. If chosen, they will have an opportunity to work with their highly skilled peers and gain valuable insight from mentors, who are assembled from among the elite in their respective creative fields.”

Contestants must be over 18 years old and must submit their application at www.hpspace.com by midnight on Sunday, September 27.

About HP SPACE

HP SPACE is an original pan-Asian reality television series that celebrates the spirit of creative innovation in Asia and encourages aspiring talents to discover their potential. The show provides a community that creates a unique space and environment in which young, creative hopefuls can express their talents during eight, one-hour episodes. The shows’ format will see the contestants challenged each week with a new creative task, ranging from multi-media and visual art, to product design, music, fashion and publishing. Well-known personalities in the field of arts, design and creativity will act as mentors to the contestants, guiding them through their creative journey. To assist them in their quest, each contestant will also receive the very latest, cutting edge product innovations from HP.

As the contestants stretch their imagination beyond the conventional, they will be judged on the basis of their performance and votes from the viewers, and rewarded with prizes and opportunities to fuel their creative passion.

The TV series will premiere on November 10 on Channel [V] in India, SE Asia, Mainland China and Taiwan and on November 11 on STAR WORLD in India, SE Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The program will also be broadcast online in South Korea. STAR WORLD and Channel [V] are distributed to 26 million and 27 million homes respectively.

The advent of free video sharing websites, high speed Internet, and inexpensive handheld video devices has made it easier than ever for regular people to become famous online. YouTube and other similar websites provide a vast worldwide audience for unique and creative individuals—the most popular viral videos have view counts numbering in the millions.

Crazy for Crocs, a new promotion in support of the 24 Crocs outlet stores in the Philippines, draws inspiration from the thousands of amateur viral videos that have gone on to become massive YouTube hits.

The campaign is composed of three main components—the Crazy for Crocs online video challenge, the Crazy for Crocs Grand Raffle, and Crocs Pick-a-Prize.

At the heart of the campaign is the Crazy for Crocs online video challenge, an interactive multimedia competition that invites real people to showcase their playful and fun side on YouTube and give them their 30 seconds of fame.

Contestants will be tasked with performing various Crocs-themed video challenges to be issued by the DJs from Magic 89.9’s Good Times radio show.

New challenges will be announced each week and each month on the official contest website, crazy4crocs.com. Participants will have to beat these challenges and capture this on video. These videos will then be uploaded to YouTube, after which they will be posting as an official entry on the contest website.

Registered visitors to the official website will then be given the chance to vote for their favorite entries, with the most popular video for a particular weekly or monthly challenge taking home the prize.

Contestants to the weekly challenges will get the chance to win prizes such as Canon digital cameras, while contestants to the monthly challenges stand to win P100,000 each month.

Meanwhile, The Crazy for Crocs Grand Raffle will be open to all buyers of Crocs products at participating outlets within the promo period. Each pair of Crocs bought entitles the buyer to one raffle ticket.

Many exciting prizes like 26” Samsung LCD TV’s, Canon camcorders will be given away in the Grand Raffle, including a brand new Honda Jazz for the Grand Prize winner.

Finally, Crocs Pick-a-Prize will give in-store customers a chance to win instantly with each purchase. Every pair of Crocs footwear bought in participating outlets gives the buyer a chance to draw from the Pick-a-Prize fishbowl, with great prizes such as T-shirts, P 1,000 discount vouchers, key chains, lanyards to be given away to lucky customers.

“The best part about Crazy for Crocs is that anyone can win,” said Mr. Franco Limjuco, VP for Marketing at All Condition Gear Philippines, Inc., the Philippine distributor of Crocs. “All you need to do is point, shoot, and upload. If you have a mobile phone camera and a bit of a daring streak, you have all you need for a chance to win P100,000 and become the newest Internet star.”

In a perfect world, all kids are happy and smiling like nothing could ever go wrong in their little Wonderland.

In reality, however, young children are easily susceptible to all kinds of discomforts such as allergies. Allergy experts in the Philippines relate that there have been an increasing number of allergy-related diseases over the years. Children in particular are the most sensitive to allergens, causing most of them to turn irritable and grumpy. And surprisingly, many common allergens are found in the home.

“Children are regularly exposed to items that we don’t know can be allergenic, such as nickel which is found in buttons and jewelry; fiberglass toys; and even common household products like shampoos and detergents,” says Catherine Apodaca, Product Manager for Del Hypoallergenic Fabric Softener.

Apodaca furthers that as such, parents should make sure that the household products they use pose no danger to their kids. Harsh chemicals are the main causes for most kids to have skin reactions such as itching, rashes and hives. Because of this growing concern, Del Fabric Softener leads the drive in propagating this fact among parents and concerned individuals with the Allergy Awareness Program. This consciousness campaign aims to make known that skin allergy is a serious problem among children that needs to be addressed.

Being the first and only hypoallergenic fabric softener variant in the country, Del Fabric Softener propagates its message through an amusing story that zeroes in on the discomfort that children may suffer from skin allergies. The book, entitled Itchy the Grump, is a tale about a kid named Itchy who is always unpleasant and grumpy because of the allergies he has been suffering from. It takes a humorous twist when Itchy suddenly breaks into dance as he furiously tries to scratch hard to reach parts.

Itchy the Grump also underscores the impact that skin allergies may have on children, such as difficulty focusing in school, inability to sleep, and social embarrassment. More importantly, it emphasizes prevention as the most effective way to avoid skin allergies, through the use of hypoallergenic products, such as Del Hypoallergenic Fabric Softener.

“Del inspires parents to be more proactive especially when it comes to skin allergies that may affect their children. That is why it is important to be constantly vigilant in identifying whether the products one uses actually pose a threat to one’s health, and conceive proper action steps to address it. [We invite you to log on to www.wearitchfreeclothes.com to view the Itchy Dance and to read the Itchy the Grump book.]”

Skin allergies, considered to be a growing epidemic among children, have come to the attention of Del Fabric Softener. Being one of the top fabric softener brands in the Philippines, Del rises to answer an unmet consumer need of having a fabric softener that is safe for the whole family, even kids, to use.

Health experts recommend that parents use laundry products that are skin-friendly when washing their children’s clothes to avoid contact dermatitis, a skin reaction caused by exposure to certain allergens. Del Hypoallergenic Fabric Softener is dermatologically-tested safe even for children’s delicate skin. Its skin-friendly formula has a gentle scent and contains no artificial colorants, leaving skin safe from allergies while making clothes soft and mildly fragrant.

Also, through their newest hypoallergenic variant, Del begins a campaign that is intended to better educate moms on the issue of allergies and make them more conscious of possible ways to control the condition.

Allergy Awareness Program

Del Hypoallergenic Fabric Softener inspires parents to be more proactive especially when it comes to skin allergies that may affect their children. Through the Allergy Awareness Program, they aim to educate moms regarding allergies as an epidemic that is prevalent in homes but can easily be prevented, as well as raise awareness among consumers to understand and choose hypoallergenic products.

Itchy the Grump

Being the first and only hypoallergenic fabric conditioner in the country, Del Fabric Softener propagates its message through the Itchy the Grump book that zeroes in on the discomfort that children may suffer from skin allergies. The book was made more interactive by encouraging parents to upload videos and photos of their kids for the Itchy the Grump Contest.

Visit www.wearitchfreeclothes.com

Parents will find that their lives have been made easier by Del through www.wearitchfreeclothes.com, an online portal that gives the lowdown on skin allergy and different ways on how to prevent it. It also serves as the platform where people can upload their videos and photos for the Itchy the Grump Contest.

Indeed, through these initiatives, Del Hypoallergenic Fabric Softener hopes to address the skin allergy epidemic that’s been taking toll on children by suggesting preventive options to parents. And as most physicians would say, prevention is always better than cure.

One of the country’s pillars of Philippine moviedom Laurice Guillen will reveal more about herself when she gets into a never-before seen tete-a-tete with host Boy Abunda on Cinema One’s Inside the Cinema on September 8 at 11:00 pm!

Stage actress, professor, actress and director, Guillen is a consummate artist in the truest sense of the word. This is due to the artistic interests she decided to develop while studying at the St. Theresa’s College. She became greatly involved in every theater work and school organization "because I was an interna, so I practically lived in the school." Everything about the theater culture and her studies in Humanities and Literature enriched her. When playright Rolando Tinio noticed her at the Ateneo, she received encouragement to get into acting, resulting to her first acting stint in Crush Ko Si Sir, a serialized komiks novel which columnist Nestor Torre directed in the mid 70s. Critical notices she received lead to Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, her first film under the great Lino Brocka. Her directorial debut was Kasal which won for her the Best Director award for Salome at the Gawad Urian in 1981, "the award vindicated me since I was getting bad publicities during the movie’s shoot but I just kept quiet." She has turned in more acclaimed movies either as actress or director like Init Sa Magdamag starring Lorna Tolentino, Kapag Langit Ay Humatol, Kung Mahawi Man Ang Ulap, (‘my first komiks melodrama’), Magkano Ang Iyong Dangal. On prime tv she made a mark playing wife Jo Alicante to colonel Alicante (the great Dindo Fernando) in Flordeluna on RPN Channel 9. After starring opposite Vilma Santos in Sister Stella L. in 1986 and portraying Cory Aquino in the tv-movie A Dangerous Life, and directing big hits in the 90s like Dolzura Cortez Story and Una Kang Naging Akin, she withdrew from the movies and set on a self-discovery on a religious pilgrimage for seven years. When she returned in 2000, she directed the family drama oeuvre under Star Cinema Tanging Yaman which swept almost all the awards in local cinema. She followed this with another critical success American Adobo. She now heads the Cinemalaya International Film Festival that further enhances her force being a force for the Filipino movies.

Direk Laurice (as industry insiders address her) becomes a very amusing person Inside the Cinema where she becomes a very natural interviewee. Lingering impressions of being feisty, serious, even cerebral gradually perish when she becomes more candid with instant firing questions of host Abunda. A particular interest no movie enthusiast should miss is how she and husband Johnny Delgado met. "when our acquaintanceship grew I discovered that behind this man who portrays rapists, criminals or contravida action man is a gentle and sensible person!"

Do not ever miss the film-maker, actress and consummate artist - Laurice Guillen on Inside the Cinema premieres on September 8, Tuesday from 8:30 to 9:30 pm. Its replay will be on Saturday September 12 from 1:30 to 2:15 am and September 13, Sunday from 10:15 to 11:00 pm. Available from SkyCable Gold, SkyCable Silver and other quality cable operators nationwide.

It’s hard not to be popular when you have a former president as a grandmother, a national hero as a grandfather, a senator as an uncle and a popular TV personality as an aunt.

That is the fate of Jiggy Cruz and his brother Jonty, and their cousin Miguel Abellada, the grandchildren of the late Corazon and Ninoy Aquino, and the nephews of Sen. Noynoy Aquino and Kris Aquino.

This Sunday (Sep 6), learn more about the articulate and down-to-earth Aquino cousins as they open up to Angel Aquino about their interests, advocacies, and their relationship with their “lola” on “Us Girls” on Studio 23.

“Us Girls” will also be giving in to the requests of its fans sent to them through text, phone call, and through its multiply site at http://usgirls23.multiply.com. First, Iya Villania, Megan Young, and Angel will hunt down the hot dining spots then they will tell you how to solve hair problems like dandruff, split ends, and scalp imbalance.

Tune in to learn how to lose weight after giving birth and how to pick outfits from the magazines that are appropriate for your built or body.

Finally, see Angel’s much-awaited reunion with her former co-hosts Daphne Oseña and Cher Calvin in the defunct ABS-CBN iconic lifestyle program “F” during a recent event.

Don’t miss all the happenings at the hippest program on TV, “Us Girls” this Sunday (Sep 6), 7pm on Studio 23.